New Delhi: The AIIMS medical board on Saturday said that actor Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide, ruling out murder ‘completely’, terming his death “a case of hanging and death by suicide”.
In its conclusive medico-legal opinion to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the six-member team of forensic doctors has dismissed the claims that “poisoning and strangling” may have been the cause of Singh’s death.
“It is a case of hanging and death by suicide. We have submitted our conclusive report to the CBI,” the premier institute’s forensic chief Dr Sudhir Gupta said on Saturday.
Dr Gupta, who is also the chairman of the forensic medical board, said there was no injury on the body other than that of hanging. “Also, there was no mark of struggle and scuffle,” he said but refused to divulge any further details stating the case is subjudice.
According to news agency ANI, he added, “The presence of any seductive material was not detected by Bombay FSL and AIIMS toxicology lab. The complete examination of ligature mark over the neck was consistent with hanging.”
Rajput, 34, who made his silver screen debut in the critically acclaimed Kai Po Che seven years ago, was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.
Sushant’s death was ruled as a suicide by the Mumbai Police, before the case was taken over by the CBI. The investigating agency also took over the probe by the Bihar Police into the abetment to suicide case filed by the actor’s father K.K. Singh in Patna against Rajput’s partner Rhea Chakraborty and her family.
According to NDTV, the CBI is likely to continue its probe into abetment to suicide. “So far, no evidence has come up to prove it to be a case of murder. If during the course of investigation, we get any evidence, murder charge will be added. For now, abetment to suicide and other charges in the FIR are being probed,” the report quoted a source as saying.
Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau on September 8. The NCB began its probe after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) – which was investigating allegations of money laundering against the actor – shared with it a report, after it cloned two mobile phones belonging to Chakraborty, and arrived at the conclusion that her private conversations suggested that she was involved in the procurement, transaction and consumption of banned drugs. The actor denies the charge.
If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. The Suicide Prevention India Foundation maintains a list of telephone numbers (www.spif.in/seek-help/) they can call to speak in confidence. You could also refer them to the nearest hospital.
(With PTI inputs)